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What does an analytical technician do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
Quoted expert
Bryan Spiegelberg Ph.D.

Analytical technicians are professionals who are responsible for managing the daily operation of activities in a laboratory as well as maintain lab equipment to ensure a high standard of sanitation. These technicians must assist in laboratory work, such as developing analytical test methods and performing analysis of raw materials and in-process samples. They are required to maintain relevant files and data records but should inform the laboratory manager when they are faced with technical problems. Analytical technicians should also determine the physical and chemical properties of compounds by using quantitative and qualitative analyses.

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Analytical technician responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real analytical technician resumes:

  • Start mixer and allow it to run for prescribe time to attain specify viscosity and color.
  • Manage daily production schedule, monitor machine operation, addressed any etching machinery problems.
  • Perform prescribed ASTM and ISO procedures on condom lot submissions to determine acceptability for use.
  • Perform gas and liquid chromatography, GLP and statistical analysis, among many other lab duties.
  • Lead technician on all analytical testing including FTIR, DSC, TGA, UV-Vis and oxygen permeability testing.
  • Perform CIP to clean vessels after usage, recognize and perform clean room techniques and adhere to proper PPE.
  • Operate centrifuges, filtration equipment, pH meter, refractometer, balances, and all other equipment need for production.
  • Perform wet chemistry analysis, operate infrared and atomic absorption spectrometers, and operate chromatography equipment.
  • Run CIP operation for raw and pasteurize batches.
  • Input data into LIMS for distribution and quality control.
  • Ensure testing compliance with JP, EP and USP requirements.
  • Perform incoming raw materials analysis base on USP and EP.
  • Assist wastewater operators in tasks relate to chemistry or math.
  • Perform assays for drug content and impurities by HPLC and UPLC.
  • Coordinate laboratory workflow between final QC, research, and GMP.

Analytical technician skills and personality traits

We calculated that 12% of Analytical Technicians are proficient in Lab Equipment, HPLC, and SQL. They’re also known for soft skills such as Ability to use technology, Observation skills, and Analytical skills.

We break down the percentage of Analytical Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Lab Equipment, 12%

    Process test samples, manage backlogs, ensure safe operations of lab equipment and maintenance of lab equipment.

  • HPLC, 6%

    Utilized, SPE, HPLC, GC/MS and spectroscopic techniques to support product development efforts.

  • SQL, 5%

    Demonstrated strong ability in developing SQL to analyze EnviroPower mCHP product line s cost and ROI.

  • R, 4%

    Supervised Chemist and lab technicians in R and D Lab.

  • Lims, 4%

    Update laboratory data into reporting system (LIMS), generate data package in compliance with company standards/regulatory and customer requirements.

  • GC, 4%

    Assisted peers in support of waste treatment GC water analyzers to maintain EPA/NYS compliance.

"lab equipment," "hplc," and "sql" are among the most common skills that analytical technicians use at work. You can find even more analytical technician responsibilities below, including:

Analytical skills. This is an important skill for analytical technicians to perform their duties. For an example of how analytical technician responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "chemical technicians must be methodical in conducting scientific experiments and interpreting data." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of an analytical technician: "provide analytical testing in support of new product development and formulation for pharmaceuticals following cgmp and fda guidelines and regulations. ".

Communication skills. A big part of what analytical technicians do relies on "communication skills." You can see how essential it is to analytical technician responsibilities because "chemical technicians must explain their work to scientists and engineers or to workers who may not have a technical background." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical analytical technician tasks: "trained in sap performed data analysis and provided recommendations to achieve more productive work flow and communication. "

See the full list of analytical technician skills

The three companies that hire the most analytical technicians are:

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Compare different analytical technicians

Analytical technician vs. Chemist

Chemists are generally responsible for observing and investigating chemical substances to create new and safe compounds essential for practical applications. They are often grouped depending on a particular area of specialization to focus and understand the complexities of the matter. A chemist usually takes time performing research and conducting experiments to test and further improve the quality and usage of a specific chemical substance. Chemists are expected to write on their observations and findings to establish scientific results.

We looked at the average analytical technician salary and compared it with the wages of a chemist. Generally speaking, chemists are paid $4,216 lower than analytical technicians per year.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between analytical technicians and chemists are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like lab equipment, hplc, and r.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, analytical technician responsibilities require skills like "sql," "analytical procedures," "analytical equipment," and "xrf." Meanwhile a typical chemist has skills in areas such as "chemistry," "product development," "analytical methods," and "test methods." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

Chemists tend to make the most money working in the manufacturing industry, where they earn an average salary of $75,495. In contrast, analytical technicians make the biggest average salary, $87,311, in the manufacturing industry.On average, chemists reach similar levels of education than analytical technicians. Chemists are 2.9% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 1.6% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Analytical technician vs. Research scientist

The job of research scientists is to design, undertake, and analyze information from experiments, trials, and laboratory-based investigations. They usually perform experiments in different areas, including medical research, pharmacology, and geoscience. They have varied duties and responsibilities that include planning and carrying out experiments, conducting fieldwork, and overseeing junior staff members like the technicians. They are typically working for a government laboratory, an environmental agency, and other organizations. Many of these scientists also work in teams and support staff.

A career as a research scientist brings a higher average salary when compared to the average annual salary of an analytical technician. In fact, research scientists salary is $20,821 higher than the salary of analytical technicians per year.A few skills overlap for analytical technicians and research scientists. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "hplc," "sql," and "r."

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that analytical technician responsibilities requires skills like "lab equipment," "gc," "analytical procedures," and "test results." But a research scientist might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "python," "patients," "c++," and "research projects."

In general, research scientists achieve higher levels of education than analytical technicians. They're 12.0% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 1.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for analytical technicians in the next 3-5 years?

Bryan Spiegelberg Ph.D.Bryan Spiegelberg Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor of Molecular Sciences, Rider University

Advances in many areas -- computing, communication, materials, energy, and so on -- all seem to converge on one technology: artificial intelligence. The ability of the global community to process information continues to change rapidly, and it isn't easy to predict. What's not hard to predict, though, is the impact that AI will have on job landscapes in the sciences and beyond. Budding chemists who have a grasp on big data, in its many forms, will be in the best position to use AI and to be at the forefront of the deployment of the tools that AI allows us to envision. These "modern" chemists are on track to be the leaders and the influencers, while others will be stuck playing catch up.

Analytical technician vs. Chemistry laboratory assistant

Chemical Laboratory Assistants are professionals who help researchers and scientists in performing lab experiments and tests. Their tasks involve the maintenance, cleanliness, or sterilization of laboratory equipment or instruments. They perform physical or chemical laboratory tests assisting scientists in the quantitative or qualitative analyses of liquids, gaseous materials, and solids. The necessary skills and knowledge for this job include chemistry, lab reporting, chemical solutions, and safety procedures.

An average chemistry laboratory assistant eans a lower salary compared to the average salary of analytical technicians. The difference in salaries amounts to chemistry laboratory assistants earning a $38,206 lower average salary than analytical technicians.Using the responsibilities included on analytical technicians and chemistry laboratory assistants resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "lab equipment," "hplc," and "ftir.rdquo;

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, an analytical technician is likely to be skilled in "sql," "r," "lims," and "gc," while a typical chemistry laboratory assistant is skilled in "lab safety," "chemistry lab," "lab experiments," and "lab reports."

Chemistry laboratory assistants make a very good living in the education industry with an average annual salary of $37,906. On the other hand, analytical technicians are paid the highest salary in the manufacturing industry, with average annual pay of $87,311.Most chemistry laboratory assistants achieve a similar degree level compared to analytical technicians. For example, they're 3.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Analytical technician vs. Research and development scientist

A research and development scientist specializes in conducting scientific studies and experiments to develop new products and technologies. They usually work at laboratories where they are in charge of conducting research and assessments, coming up with new ideas, performing tests, streamlining product requirements and guidelines, collaborating with fellow experts, utilizing previous studies and advanced software, and maintaining records of all procedures. Additionally, as a research and development scientist, it is essential to conduct reviews and assessments to ensure products adhere to safety standards and regulations.

Research and development scientists tend to earn a higher pay than analytical technicians by an average of $21,101 per year.While both analytical technicians and research and development scientists complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like hplc, sql, and r, the two careers vary in some skills.Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. An analytical technician uses "lab equipment," "analytical procedures," "ms," and "sample preparation." Research and development scientists are more likely to have duties that require skills in "patients," "python," "technical support," and "c++. "In general, research and development scientists earn the most working in the health care industry, with an average salary of $91,180. The highest-paying industry for an analytical technician is the manufacturing industry.In general, research and development scientists hold higher degree levels compared to analytical technicians. Research and development scientists are 9.2% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 8.7% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of analytical technician

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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